Hi, All. I have been drinking tea since I was a child. I am originally from Georgia (deep South) and was raised on Lipton sweet tea ... And when I say sweet, I mean 2 cps of sugar/pitcher. Awful stuff. I started getting into loose leaf tea about 20 years ago when I worked at a coffee/Teahouse in Los Angeles. Back then my favorite teas were Oolongs and Assam, Ceylon, Keemum ... but that was then.Now, my favorite is Pu erh! I am just learning about them and having a great time. love the deep flavors and rich experience a cup/cups bring.I am a newbie and I am so happy to have found this awesome forum. I just received my new Gaiwan and tomorrow morning I am looking forward to "tribute ripe" from Bana Tea. Ripe Pu erh 2004, mixed harvest. I also have "fragrant spring" 2010, raw.I am waiting for 2011 Douji "Phoenix Tour" ripe cake. 357 grams from ChaDao ...Yunnan Yiwu Zhengzhou Shan Mt. Tea co.Thinking about many different cakes ... Maybe 2008 Menghai Boyou "secret life" shuOr ... Tong - Menghai 7542 or "big classic" or 2006 Haiwan raw brickOr Shengs ... 7542?.. 2004 Haiwan Lao TongI think I will just order samples, if I can resist the cakes, and see what I really like.

Lerxst2112 wrote:I assume, for the London Fog, you're referring to the "Earl Grey Latte" and not the gin & licorice liqueur cocktail. Both of which I had sampled at the Servisair Lounge at Heathrow - both of which delicious!

wagmore wrote:Words I try to live by: "Don't knock it 'til you've tried it twice."

I like your saying as well as your context. I briefly dated someone who said something similar, but purported 7 times. The unfortunate thing is he was referring to trying illicit drugs instead of delicious teas and other safe (and legal) concoctions. Needless to say, that did not last much longer!

How long have you been drinking tea?I regulary drink tea for three years or so i think. but half a year ago i started to focus on japanese greens and currently still having a lot of fun in getting more and more information and expierience.

What was your first Tea?my first tea ever was probably some black tea, maybe earl grey or something similar. the first japanese green i drank was genmaicha at a japanese restaurant.

What is your favorite Tea currently?Yutaka Midori from o-cha.

What is your next purchase?matcha and gyokuro from Ippodo.

Where is your favorite spot to brew up?generally i brew my tea in the kitchen and drink it at my desk.

I'm back after a long hiatus and have missed this place! How long have you been drinking tea?40 years for herbals and a short 3 years for my journey into the world of Asian teas.

What was your first Tea? I'm amazed that others can recall their first tea! I had to sit quietly and reflect on this question. Searching back through many yesterdays, I recall my mother brewed a very, very sweet and milky infusion when I had a belly ache, maybe age 5. She served it in my favorite thick, hard plastic mug that resembled celadon. Memories of my paternal grandmother conjured tisanes using her intuition with a bit of Ozark lore added for good measure. Lots of sugar What is your favorite Tea currently? My current favorite tea changes as rapidly as the weather here in the Mid-western USA. I had been stubbornly fixated...maybe obsessed...with Wu Yi and Anxi Oolongs (traditional, high-fired) for the past year. My current favorite as of 7:02 pm CST on 1-16-12 actually started me down another path away from my fixation: Phoenix Dan Cong from MTR. What is your next purchase? Likely something from Stephane to satisfy my need for Taiwan leaves (OB, Ali Shan, Concubine?), followed by Shin Shun matcha from Ippodo.

Where is your favorite spot to brew up? My favorite spot to brew tea ebbs between varying degrees of interaction with others. One favorite is in front of the large window in my living room. I'm at my tea table joined by kitties, who perch to share my space. We watch the woods outside my house, where the many wild creatures stir and feral/hard stray cats roam. The cats outside have grown fond of this ritual. They settle in a comfy spot to watch us back. My desk at work is a second favorite because people walk by and take notice. It gives me a chance to share this tea part of my life, but it also provides a space for people to inhale, learn something new and take just one minute to "be" in what is normally an intense environment.

How long have you been drinking tea?Since I was around 4 years old and was introduced to afternoon tea (with milk & sugar, of course) & cinnamon toast. All in all, more than 50 years.

What was your first Tea? At 4, probably Tetley or Red Rose. The first adult loose tea introduction was probably Celestial Seasonings, followed by hand picked herbals . Around 2000 I was gifted an Upton China Chun Mee.

What is your favorite Tea currently?This moment's favorite is Dragon Tea House's Organic Premium Shou Mei, but I'm just getting started. (I lean towards the greens & whites with some Pu-erhs, when in the mood)

What is your next purchase?Adagio's White Monkey (green) & White Symphony. But I'm up for suggestions (easy on the pocketbook, please).

Where is your favorite spot to brew up?Anywhere I can get hot water. I carry my own and have found most places that sell coffee (everywhere) will give you a container of hot water free or for a nominal charge.

Hi all!Later today I'll make a proper introduction topic, but for now here goes:

How long have you been drinking tea?Since I was a child. In Russia tea is a staple, we even had tea time at school. And at the time, nobody had teabags.

What was your first Tea?It would have been a black loose leaf, but I was too young to remember the details.

What is your favorite Tea currently?The best tea I've had was something called Hatimara Assam, purchased at a local tea shop that has since closed. Reading up on it a bit, I gather it was a lower-end tea (CTC, BOP), so I'm excited to try more.

How long have you been drinking tea? For 7 years, consciously for 2 years. What was your first Tea? Windsor-Castle Orange Pekoe Tea.What is your favorite Tea currently? Oolong, Japanese Green Tea, 2nd Flush Darjeeling.What is your next purchase? Oolong and Pu Erh.Where is your favorite spot to brew up? At home.

dRummie wrote:From Camellia-Sinensis: Anxi Tie Guan Yin 2 (autumn)Where is your favorite spot to brew up?By a window, with lots of light, and that baked-by-the-sun feeling. I don't get this luxury often, though.

(snipped for conciseness)

Definitely agree with your choice of spots to brew. Recently, I discovered the little alcove in my apartment has an east/southeast facing window which allows for tons of sunlight. I can't wait to set it up proper!

Am looking forward to your opinions on the TGY. Welcome to the site, and hope to see you around!